Level.



W. J. 'NEIDL.

LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.4,1908.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

mama. n c.

WILLIAM J. NEIDL, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Application filed November 4, 1908. Serial No. 461,038.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. NEIDL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Levels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in levels, the object of the invention being to provide a level which obviates the use of wood, glass and spirits and other materials liable to be easily broken or injured or affected by climatic changes, and which may be employed. in either normal or inverted position, in which a sensitiveness of action is insured, in which the vibration of the movable indicating member may be easily arrested when occasion requires, and which is simple of construction and susceptible of being manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a level embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical transverse section thereof. Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan View of the pendulum casing.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the body or stock of the level, which is of channel form and comprises a base late 2 and upwardly extending parallel si e walls 3. The underside of the base plate 2 forms the bearing surface of the stock which is adapted to be brought into contact with the object or surface whose level is to be determined. This bottom plate 2 is provided with a central opening 4:.

Arranged centrally of the stock is a pendulum casing 5, the base portion of which is of oblong rectangular form to fit snugly between the walls 3 and is secured thereto by screws or cross bolts'6. The parts ofthe.

casing may be cast or struck up from sheet metal, and, as shown, said casing is closed at its base by a'bottom plate? resting on the base 2 of the stock and secured thereto by screws 8, which also enter'threa'ded openings in flanges 9 upon the ends of the casing and cooperate with the screws or bolts 6 to fixedly secure the casing in position. The

I plate 7 is formed with anopening 10' registering with the opening 4: for the discharge of any sand, dirt or other foreign material from the casing.

The upper or crown portion 11 of the casing is of semicircular form, and is preferably integral in a single casting with the end walls 12 of the base. This crown portion 11 is formed in its top with a guide slot 13 and is provided at each side with a graduated scale 14:, having its graduations extending in opposite directions beyond a central zero point at the highest portion of the scale. Similar scales 14: may also be provided upon the top of the crown portion on opposite sides of the guide slot 13, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The sides of the base portion of the casing are closedby plates 15, which may be either cast or stamped up from sheet metal, which side plates are fastened in position by the screws or bolts 6, as before described. The said side plates fit in recesses in the side edges of the end walls 12 so as to lie flush with the sides of the crown portion 11, and said side plates are provided with sl ghtly inset circular portions 16 which partially occupy the openings in the sides of the semicircular crown so as to form therewith semicircular guide slots 17. The circular portions 16 are connected with the body portions of the plates 16 by outstruck portions 18 of the metal forming channeled guides, each circular portion being supported by a pair of quadrantial guides which lie on opposite sides of the center line of the lower portion thereof and are spaced or separated by an intervening observation slot 19, opposite which the side plate and circular portion are provided with indicating marks 20 in vertical alinement with the zero mark of the associated scale 14, the upper edge of the adjacent side wall 3 of the stock being re cessed, as at 21, to expose the mark 20 on the body of the side plate.

The circular portions 16 are centrally outstruck to form bearing recesses 22 for a transverse spindle 23, whose ends 2 1 are of conical or equivalent tapering form to fit within said recesses and to turn therein with a minimum degree of friction. The ends of the spindle pass through washers 25 secured to the inner faces of the circular portions 16 which are preferably composed of felt or some other similar absorbent material adapted to hold the lubricant to keep the bearing portions constantly lubricated.

The arm 28 also carries a pair of oppositely projecting pointers or indicators 30 movable in the slots 17 and normally registering with the zero marks of the opposite scale 14, and terminates at its upper end in a cross piece 31 which is movable in the guide slot 18 and has its upper surface curved and arranged to lie flush with the upper face of the crown portion 11. This portion 31 of the arm forms a pointer or indicator to co operate with the scales 14 and also serves as a projection which is sufliciently exposed through the slot 13 to enable the thumb or finger of the operator to be brought into contact therewith to arrest the vibration of the pendulum when occasion requires.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the invention provides a level which dispenses in its construction with wood, glass and liquid, and other materials and substances which are liable to be easily broken or injured or affected readily by climatic changes, and which is made in entirety of metal which is not so adapted to be affected by climatic variations and which i 7 provides an instrument which is strong and durable in construction and adapted to effectually withstand wear and tear. In the operation of the level, it will be understood that the bearing surface 2 of the stock may be brought to bear against the object or sur face whose horizontality or level is to be determined, and that the operator may conveniently determine Whether or not the surface or article is level or varies therefrom 1 by reference to the pointers and scales at either side of the casing or at the top thereof. The instrument is also adapted to be used in an inverted position in which the base plate 2 is arranged to bear against the lower T side of the article or surface whose level is to be determined, in which event the pointers 29 and indicating marks 20 will show whether or not such surface or object is level and the pointers 30 and scales 14 will show any degree of variation from the ience of the level.

pointers in line with the zero indicating marks, it will be apparent that accuracy in the use of the instrument is insured. 7

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A level comprising a channeled body or stock embodying a base plate and upwardly extending side plates, a casing fitted and secured in the channel of the stock and provided with a guide slot and a scale concentric therewith, and a pendulum within said casing having an indicator movable in the slot to cooperate with the scale.

2. A level comprising a channeled body or stock embodying a base and side walls, a casing having its lower portion fitted and secured in the channel of the stock and its upper portion provided at its sides with guide slots and cooperating concentric scales, and a gravity-controlled pendulum mounted within the casing andprovided with oppositely projecting pointers movable in said slots to cooperate with said scales.

3. A level comprising a channeled body or stock embodying a base plate and side walls, a casing having its lower portion fitted and secured in the channel of the stock and having a crown portion of partially circular form, said crown portion and the sides of the casing being provided with guide slots and scales concentric therewith, and a gravity-controlled pendulum within the casing provided with pointers movable in said guide slots to cooperate with the scales, the pointer operating in the crown slot serving as an exposedcontact portion whereby vibration'of the pendulum may be conveniently arrested.

4. A-level comprising a channeled body or stock embodying a base plate and side walls, a casing having its lower portion fitted and secured in the channel of the stock and having its upper portion comprising a semicircular crown and side walls, said crown and side walls being provided with guide slots and scales concentric therewith, and a gravitycontrolled pendulum having a weighted portion and an arm, said arm being provided with pointers movable within said slots to cooperate with said scales, the pointer arranged to traverse the crown slot being formed to provide a portion adapted to be engaged by the thumb or finger of the operator to arrest the vibration of the pendulum.

5. A level comprising a channeled base embodying a bottom plate and side walls, a casing having its lower portion fitted and secured within the channel and having its upper portion in the form of a semicircular crown, said crown and the side walls of the casing being provided with guide slots and scales concentric therewith and the side walls being provided with bearing recesses, a pendulum having a spindle provided with tapered ends journaled in said bearings and carrying pointers movable in said guide slots to cooperate with the scales, and lubricant containing absorbent disks upon the side walls contacting with the tapering ends of the spindle.

6. A level comprising a channeled body or stock embodying a base plate and side walls, a casing fitted and secured within the channel and having its upper portion in the form of an arched crown, said crown being pro vided in its top portion with a guide slot, the sides of the casing being formed with circular portions partially closing the openings in the crown and forming intervening guide slots, the top and sides of the crown being provided with scales opposite said slots and said circular portions being connected with the side plates below the crown portion by channeled ofi sets in line with said intervening slots and spaced at their lower ends,

the sides and circular portions being provided with indicating marks opposite said spaces, and a pendulum mounted within the casing upon said circular portions and provided with diametrically opposite sets of oppositely projecting indicators, one of said sets of indicators being movable in the side slots to'cooperate with the side scales of the crown portion and the other sets of indicators movable in said slots and ofisets cooperating with said indicating marks, and

WILLIAM J. NEIDL. Vitnesses W. H. ENGLISH, EMIL E. HAUSEN. 

